Department for Transport

Roads: Accidents

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what statistics they have on accidents caused by litter or debris on roads in the UK.

baroness vere of norbiton: The department does not collect data specifically on litter and debris causing road accidents. The department collects data on personal injury road accidents reported to the police, including contributory factors which the police select when they attend the scene. This does not assign blame for the accident but gives an indication of factors the attending officer thought contributed to the accident. This includes the contributory factors of ‘Deposit on road’ and ‘Animal or object in carriageway’, which might be used to record litter and debris. ‘Deposit on road’ includes any deposit arising from human (or animal) activity which has made sections of the road surface slippery or which has caused traction control problems for a vehicle. ‘Animal or object in carriageway’ includes any object which the driver would not expect to find in the carriageway (e.g. dislodged vehicle load, fallen tree) and which caused or contributed to the accident. There were 1,058 road accidents with a contributory factor of ‘Deposit on road’ and 802 road accidents with a contributory factor of ‘Animal or object in carriageway’ in Great Britain in 2017. Statistics on the number and proportion of accidents by contributory factor reported are available online in table RAS50001. All published tables on contributory factors are available in the RAS50 series on gov.uk. The data we hold only covers reported personal injury road accidents in Great Britain, we do not have data for Northern Ireland.

Tyres: Safety

earl attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statistical risk of a heavy goods vehicle or coach tyre having a "blow out" for each of the first20 years after manufacture; whether that assessment is based on any scientific study; and if so, what study.

baroness vere of norbiton: In June 2019 the Department launched a public consultation seeking views on a proposed ban on tyres aged 10 years and older from heavy goods vehicles, heavy trailers, buses, coaches and minibuses. At the same time, the Department published research that explores the link between age and tyre integrity. Although the research is not statistically conclusive, it suggests that corrosion, which can affect the tyre’s structure, is more likely to be found in older tyres. Investigations into two fatal collisions involving heavy vehicles concluded that tyre failure occurred as a result of structural deterioration due to age. We are not aware of any scientific studies that specifically explore the statistical risk of tyre blow-outs for heavy goods vehicles or coaches in each year after manufacture.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Directors: Females

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to require businesses to appoint equal numbers of men and women at board level.

lord henley: The Government is committed to working with the business community to create more inclusive workplaces from the shop floor to the boardroom. The Government has commissioned and supports several business-led, independent reviews on promoting diversity, including the Hampton-Alexander Review to increase the representation of women on boards and in senior leadership positions in FTSE 350 companies to 33% by 2020 and the Parker Review to increase the ethnic diversity of FTSE 350 boards by 2024.These reviews form part of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy which aims to build an economy that works for all.The statistics recently published by the Hampton-Alexander Review on 1st July, show that the business-led approach to creating more balanced boards is working, as the representation of women on FTSE 100 boards has risen to 32.1% from 12.5% in 2011. The number of all-male boards across the FTSE 350 is also down to four from 152 in 2011. The Government has no plans to introduce legislation to require equal numbers of men and women at board level.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Pakistan: Royal Visits

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, during their forthcoming visit to Pakistan, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit (1) the slums inhabited by the minority Christian community, and (2) members of Shahbaz Bhatti’s family.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The details of the programme for the visit by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Pakistan have not yet been agreed. For security reasons, we would not in any case comment on details in advance of the visit.

Pakistan: Minority Groups

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last raised the plight of minorities in Pakistan with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth; what response they received; and whether they asked the Secretary-General to raise continued human rights violations with the government of Pakistan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to be in close contact with the Commonwealth Secretariat on its support to member states to live up to the commitments to tolerance, to human rights, good governance and the rule of law set out in the Commonwealth Charter.In addition, the British Government will continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious minorities, and to uphold the rule of law.

Pakistan: Blasphemy

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sentencing of Shagufta Kauser and her husband to death in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy; what assessment they have made of whether Shagufta Kauser is (1) from a Christian minority, and (2) illiterate; what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan on her behalf; what response they have received to these representations; and what estimate they have made of the number of people currently facing the death sentence in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to monitor the case of Shagufta Kauser and her husband Shafqat Emmanuel who were sentenced to death in April 2014. We understand that Shagufta Kauser is of the Christian faith and we are aware of media reports stating that she and her husband are both illiterate.We regularly raise our concerns about the misuse of the blasphemy laws with the government of Pakistan at a senior level. The harsh penalties for blasphemy, including the death penalty, add to these concerns. We remain firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. We have repeatedly called upon the Government of Pakistan to end capital punishment and, as a minimum, commit to publicly renewing the previously imposed moratorium on the death penalty. Concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities were raised with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during a ministerial visit to Islamabad in February.We do not hold figures for individuals on specific charges overseas. According to the US State Department 2018 Report on Freedom of Religion or Belief, at the time of publication, 77 individuals were imprisoned in Pakistan on blasphemy charges, 28 of whom had received death sentences.

China: Prisoners

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, theyhave given to updating their travel advice for China to include the findings of the Independent Tribunal into Forced Organ Harvesting from Prisoners of Conscience from China, published on 17 June.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We do not intend to update our travel advice to include the findings of the recent report by the pressure group “The International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China”. We have reviewed the report and at present, our assessment remains that there is not a strong enough evidential base to substantiate the claim that systematic state-sponsored or sanctioned organ harvesting is taking place in China. We continue to keep this issue under review.

Christian Michel

baroness couttie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India to ensure that a trial date is set for Christian Michel following his arrest in July 2018 and subsequent extradition to India in December 2018.

baroness couttie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that (1) Christian Michel receives a fair trail when such a date is set, and (2) that any evidence used in such a trial is accurate; and what representations they have made, if any, to the government of India about the impact of remarks made by Prime Minister Modi during the recent elections about Christian Michel’s case.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Mr Michel's case is currently working its way through the Indian judiciary system. The British Government cannot interfere in the judicial process of another country, just as we would expect India to respect the UK's legal process. That said, we encourage all states to ensure that their domestic laws meet international human rights standards.It is the responsibility of Mr Michel's legal team to ensure that a trial date is set. We have not made any representation to the Government of India about remarks made by Prime Minister Modi, but we have encouraged Mr Michel to seek advice from his legal team on this issue. Our staff in India continue to visit him and check his welfare. We are also supporting the family and in contact with the Indian authorities regarding his case.

China: Prisoners

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Final Judgment of the Independent Tribunal into Forced Organ Harvesting, published on 17 June; and what actions they plan to take in response to that Judgment.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have noted the recent report by the pressure group “The International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China”. Officials attended public hearings organised by the group, and its report is one of a number of sources of information that we are taking into account when considering this issue.If true, the practice of systematic, state-sponsored organ harvesting would be truly horrifying. As such, we continue to monitor the allegations and consider carefully all evidence presented on this issue. We have also recently consulted the World Health Organization in both Geneva and Beijing. Their view is that China is implementing an ethical, voluntary organ transplant system in accordance with international standards, though they do have concerns about overall transparency.There is credible evidence that practitioners of Falun Gong are subjected to serious mistreatment. We regularly raise concerns with China, including on the extensive use of the death penalty and the treatment of religious and ethnic minorities. We continue to keep this issue under review.

Middle East: British Nationals Abroad

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the recent statementby the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on 24 June, what plans they have to repatriate the children of British citizens now held in Iraq and Syria as a result of their parents' involvement with Daesh.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The situation that young children are facing in north-east Syria through no fault of their own is tragic. The UK has no consular presence within Syria from which to provide assistance to British Nationals there. This makes it difficult to help but we look at every single case where we are asked for consular assistance. We are not aware of any British children in camps in Iraq.Our advice to any British national abroad who needs emergency help from the British Government is to contact the nearest British Embassy or Consulate, which in this case will be outside Syria. If a minor is unable to do so, those with parental responsibility can make the request on their behalf. British nationals can also call the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The number is clearly advertised on FCO Travel Advice pages.

Pakistan: Royal Visits

lord forsyth of drumlean: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to seek assurances from the government of Pakistan about measures being taken to protect Christian minorities before confirming any visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to that country.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be visiting Pakistan at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The FCO will be working with the Royal Household to ensure that the visit is aligned with Her Majesty's Government objectives.

South America: Roman Catholic Church

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of the forthcomingRoman Catholic Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazonian Region for (1) the survival of indigenous people, (2) the conservation of the tropical rainforest, (3) bio-diversity, and (4) responsible human development, across state frontiers in that region.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcome the Catholic Church's focus on cultural, environmental, economic and social issues in the Amazon, and will consider the outcome of the Synod with interest. The UK is working with Brazil to help ensure it continues to protect the Amazon and has invested nearly £120 million through the International Climate Fund on projects to limit deforestation, prevent forest fires and implement the Forestry Code in the Amazon, Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes.We are also committed to promoting and defending the human rights of all individuals and regularly participate in discussions regarding human rights in various United Nations fora, including the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council.

Northern Cyprus: Guided Weapons

lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they still have guarantor responsibilities in Cyprus under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee; what assessment they have made of reports thata Russian-made S-200 missile was fired from Syria and exploded in theTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus;andwhat steps they intend to take in response to that incident.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK remains one of the three Guarantor powers as set out in the Treaty of Guarantee (1960). We are aware that debris from a projectile landed in the north of Cyprus on 1 July: we believe they resulted from an S200 missile fired from Syria which missed its intended target and which may subsequently have exploded mid-air. There were no casualties. The UK enjoys excellent relations with Cyprus, including in the fields of defence and security, based on strong bonds of friendship and historical ties. We continuously assess possible threats to the island to ensure that the necessary precautions are in place.

Israeli Settlements

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether settlement expansion on Palestinian lands in the West Bank is higher than population growth in Israel; and what assessment they have made of the impact of any such increase on the viability of a two-state solution using land swaps.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are aware of media and UN reports that settlement expansion in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has surpassed population growth in Israel. At the UN Security Council on 20 June, the UK Permanent Representative to the UN expressed concern about continuing Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank, which is contrary to international law and makes a two-state solution harder to achieve. We regularly raise our grave concerns on this issue with the Government of Israel and urge it to reverse its policy of settlement expansion.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that a seven month old Palestinian infant was shot whilst sitting on her mothers’ lap by an Israeli sniper near Ramallah.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Whilst we are aware of media reports, we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. We are concerned by any reports of Palestinian children being killed or injured in the West Bank and Gaza. We regularly raise our concerns over use of live fire, particularly against children.

Gaza: Poisoning

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the dangers of lead poisoning for children living in Gaza.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​While we are aware of reports, which are worrying, we have not made an assessment of this issue. We regularly stress our concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Embassies: Surveillance

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the recording of events surrounding the death of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, what assessment they have made of the adequacy of security measures to prevent surveillance of UK embassies and consulates.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​It is our policy not to comment publicly on the security measures that protect our people, properties and information.

Syria: Chemical Weapons

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Working Group on Syria, Propaganda, and MediaHow the OPCW's investigation of the Douma incident was nobbled, published on 26 June.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK has full confidence in the expertise and methodology of the Organization for the Prohibition or Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Fact Finding Mission (FFM). The OPCW Director General has confirmed that all evidence and views were considered by the FFM in reaching its conclusion on the incident in Douma on 7 April 2018. The final FFM report of 1 March 2019 concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe a chemical weapons attack took place.

Syria: Chemical Weapons

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theOrganisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons'Remarks of the Director-General at the Briefing for States Parties on Syrian Arab Republic: Update on IIT-FFM-SSRC-DAT, published on 28 May, which stated that the ballistics data collected by the Fact-Finding Mission in relation to the Douma incident were analysed by three external experts; whether they have seen these expert analyses; and if so, whether they will make them available.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​On 28 May Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Director General confirmed all evidence and views were considered in preparing the Fact finding Mission (FFM) report and that the Technical Secretariat stands by the findings. We have full confidence in both our own and the FFM's conclusions on the use of a chemical weapon in Douma on 7 April 2018. The Fact-Finding Mission draws on internal and independent external expertise as required in reaching its conclusions. The UK is not involved in that process and would not expect the Director-General to make such information publicly available.

Syria: Chemical Weapons

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have employed, or made any direct or indirect payment to, Len Phillips, a former official of theOrganisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, since 2003.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Under our data protection policy we are neither able to confirm whether Mr Phillips has been an employee of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, nor whether we have made any direct or in-direct payments to Mr Phillips.

South African Revenue Service: Bain and Company

lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to instruct Her Majesty's High Commissioner to South Africa to compile a report to the Prime Minister on the probity and quality of Bain & Company’s consultancy work for the South African Revenue Service; and if so, whether they will place a copyof any such report in theLibrary of the House of Lords.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have no plans to instruct the High Commissioner to South Africa to compile a report on Bain & Company. This is a matter for the South African Government and we note the various Commissions appointed to investigate this and related issues.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

lord collins of highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyintend to take to include the presence of survivors of sexual violence from conflict zones at the Preventing Sexual Violence In Conflict Initiative Conference in November; and whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will liaise with the Home Office to ensure that such people are not prevented from entering the UK to attend that conference.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The PSVI conference 'Time For Justice: Putting Survivors First' will take a survivor-centred approach, focusing on tangible next steps and enabling survivors to contribute to policy debates and outcomes. The newly created role of PSVI Survivor Champion will help ensure that survivors' needs, concerns and priorities are at the forefront of our policy and programming, including for the conference.The UK Government is working closely with stakeholders, including international survivor networks, to ensure survivors of conflict-related sexual violence from a range of countries and communities are involved in and can attend the PSVI conference on 18-20 November 2019. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is coordinating across Government departments, including with the Home Office, on preparations for the conference. This includes planning on policy deliverables, logistics and attendance.

Abdel Moneim Aboul Foutouh

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatrepresentations they intend to make to the government of Egypt about the case for transferring Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh from prison to hospital for urgent medical treatment.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have been closely engaged on the case of Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh. Officials raised his case with Egyptian authorities on 4 July in London and on 7 July in Cairo. We will continue to urge the Egyptian authorities to ensure all detainees are treated in accordance with relevant international human right standards and continue to raise the importance of access to medical care.

Northern Ireland Office

Offences against Children: Northern Ireland

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further tothe reply by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 20 June (HL Deb, col 835), whether the issues relating to institutional child abuse in Northern Ireland have been resolved; and if so, when legislation will be introduced to provide compensation for the victims and their families.

lord duncan of springbank: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 10 July 2019.The correct answer should have been:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made it very clear that she is determined to see redress for victims of historical institutional abuse as soon as possible. That is why she asked the NI parties to assist her in critical decisions that needed to be taken with regard to the redress scheme and other matters. The parties addressed those outstanding issues, and the Executive Office is currently working with the Office of the Legislative Council  Counsel to redraft the legislation in light of the parties’ recommendations. When the legislation has been revised, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will consider the best way forward and the next steps as a matter of urgency.

lord duncan of springbank: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made it very clear that she is determined to see redress for victims of historical institutional abuse as soon as possible. That is why she asked the NI parties to assist her in critical decisions that needed to be taken with regard to the redress scheme and other matters. The parties addressed those outstanding issues, and the Executive Office is currently working with the Office of the Legislative Council  Counsel to redraft the legislation in light of the parties’ recommendations. When the legislation has been revised, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will consider the best way forward and the next steps as a matter of urgency.

Department of Health and Social Care

Continuing Care: Finance

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of applications received for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding in England in each of the last three years.

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of applications for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding in England were accepted in each of the last three years.

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of rejected applications for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding in England were then granted on (1) first, and (2) second, appeal in each of the last three years.

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of applications for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding in England were accepted (1) within less thanone month, (2) within less than three months, (3) within three to six months, (4) within six to 12 months, and (5) after 12 months,of thedate of application.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The following table provides the total number of referrals received for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) for both Standard and Fast Track NHS CHC, for the years 2016/17 to 2018/19.Number of Referrals ReceivedPeriodStandard NHS CHCFast TrackTotal NHS CHC2016/1776,94588,420165,3652017/1875,32294,175169,4972018/1973,47597,273170,748 NHS England collects and publishes data regarding the number of referrals completed, and of those, how many were assessed as eligible (as a percentage). A table showing these figures is attached due to the size of the data. The percentage of referrals agreed as eligible is based on the number of referrals ‘completed’ (rather than ‘referrals received’). Pre 2017/18 data did not use this counting methodology and therefore is not comparable. 2016/17 figures have therefore not been included.The NHS CHC appeals process consists of clinical commissioning group local resolution and NHS England Independent Review. It is not possible to provide data on cases found eligible at local review or Independent Review as a percentage of applications initially assessed as not eligible.We do not hold information on the percentage of NHS CHC referrals which were assessed as eligible within the requested time periods. NHS England does, however, hold information on the percentage of referrals completed within 28 days, and the latest annual information on this is included in the following table. This relates to Standard NHS CHC and not Fast Track NHS CHC. % referrals within 28 daysPeriodStandard NHS CHC Referrals completedReferrals completed in 28 days% completed in 28 days2018/1976,80353,50470%  



NHS CHC Referrals completed
(Word Document, 19.05 KB)

Continuing Care: Finance

lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manypatients were in receipt of continuing healthcare paymentsin England in (1)2010, (2) 2015, (3) 2016, (4) 2017, (5) 2018, and (6) 2019.

lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many patients were in receipt of continuing healthcare payments fromSomerset Health Authority in (1) 2010, (2) 2015, (3) 2016, (4) 2017, (5) 2018, and (6) 2019.

lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manypatients were in receipt ofcontinuinghealthcare paymentsin England, broken down by category of payment, in (1)2010, (2) 2015, (3) 2016, (4) 2017, (5) 2018, and (6) 2019.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: Data on NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) payments is not held currently, but NHS England collects data on the total number of cases eligible for NHS CHC during each year. This includes newly eligible individuals and individuals who were already eligible at the start of the period. The following table provides the total numbers eligible for both Standard and Fast Track NHS CHC for the years 2015/16 to 2018/19. ‘Category of payment’ has been interpreted to mean the split of total NHS CHC by Standard NHS CHC and Fast Track.Data relating to 2010/11 has not been included as formal mandatory data collection was not in place at this time and is therefore not comparable to the more robust data collected subsequently.   Number eligible year to datePeriodStandard NHS CHCFast TrackTotal NHS CHC2015/1667,77491,791159,5652016/1763,47496,353159,8272017/1859,91699,706159,6222018/1956,395104,461160,856 ‘Somerset Health Authority’ is not a recognised organisation. Data is therefore provided for Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for the years 2015/16 to 2018/19. Somerset CCG Number eligible year to datePeriodStandard NHS CHCFast TrackTotal NHS CHC2015/168351,2772,1122016/175111,4952,0062017/183501,5721,9222018/193301,6261,956 Data relating to 2010/11 has not been included as formal mandatory data collection was not in place at this time and is therefore not comparable to the more robust data collected subsequently. In addition, 2010/11 data pre-dates the existence of CCGs and relates to primary care trusts, meaning that comparison at organisational level is not possible.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place a copy of the World Health Organisation Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety 2019 review of HPV vaccine safety in the Library of the House.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: A meeting was held by the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) on 5 to 6 June 2019. However, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is not aware of any formal review of human papillomavirus vaccine safety published by GACVS in 2019.

Furniture: Fire Resistant Materials

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to the neurological development of (1) foetuses, and (2) new-born children, of exposure to polyurethane mattresses treated with chlorinated phosphate flame retardants.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has considered the evidence on the potential effects of chlorinated and non-chlorinated phosphate flame retardants from all exposure sources, in general. The Committee is preparing a statement on phosphate-based flame retardants and the potential for neurodevelopmental toxicity. It is expected that the statement will be published in summer 2019.Chlorinated organophosphorous flame retardants are regulated under the European Union REACH (Restriction, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) regime. The United Kingdom has been proactive in supporting the regulation of flame retardants through REACH. The European Chemicals Agency has announced an intention to restrict a number of chlorinated flame retardants. It is expected that the restriction proposal will be submitted in July 2019, followed by a public consultation.

Medicine: Research

lord willis of knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what governance arrangements they have proposed for the newly designated Academic Research Collaborations.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: Following, a new, open competition, the Government has recently announced National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) designation and funding for 15 Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs), with total funding of £135 million over five years from 1 October 2019.Each NIHR ARC will have its own local governance arrangements in place, with the named Director of each NIHR ARC having responsibility, and authority over, the NIHR funding awarded to their National Health Service organisations through the scheme. Under the terms of the NIHR contract, the NIHR ARCs will be required to submit annual progress reports and can be subject site visits to evaluate progress, performance and identify key issues.All NIHR ARCs are required to ensure that research is conducted in accordance with the United Kingdom Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research and the Concordat to Support Research Integrity and the Governance Arrangements for Research Ethics Committees.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theanswer by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 3 July (HL Deb, col 1435), what assessment they have made of the finding of the House of Commons Health Committee in its report NHS Charges (HC815–1), published on 18 July 2006,that the list of exemptions for prescription charges was “inconsistent and anomalous”; and what plans they have, in any future meetings with Asthma UK, to discuss the current list of exemptions for prescription charges in regard to those who have asthma.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department has made no formal assessment of the finding of the House of Commons Health Committee in its report NHS Charges (HC815–1), published on 18 July 2006, that the list of exemptions for prescription charges was “inconsistent and anomalous”. The Department has no current plans to review the existing National Health Service prescription charging exemption arrangements.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationsthey have received about prescription charges for people with lifetime health conditions in the last two years; whether they record the healthconditions each such representation related to;and how many people in Englandthey estimateare subject to prescription chargesfor such conditions.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: We have received a number of representations from Parliamentarians, stakeholders, individuals and other interested parties on prescription exemptions for people with long term health conditions. Whether any specific health condition was mentioned in each such representation is not recorded centrally and to obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost. Furthermore, the Department has made no estimate of the number of people in England that are subject to prescription exemptions for such conditions. However, around 89% of National Health Service prescription items are dispensed in the community free of charge.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the annual cost to the NHS of providing free prescriptions tothose with (1) asthma, and (2) long-term health conditions.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department has made no such estimate. Extensive arrangements are already in place to help people access National Health Service prescriptions. These include a broad range of NHS prescription charge exemptions.To support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption, cost of the prescription pre-payment certificates were frozen for another year. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much it costs NHS Englandannually to (1) collect payments for free prescriptions, (2) administer the system of medical exemption certificates, and (3)provide prescription prepayment certificates.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: NHS England and NHS Improvement do not collect any payment for free prescriptions.The costs to administer the system of medical exemption certificates is around £1 million. The costs to provide prescription prepayment certificates is around £4.8 million. These figures have been provided by the NHS Business Services Authority and are for the financial period 2018/19.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any savings made by the NHS in Scotland, Wales and Northern Irelandas a result of not charging for prescriptions.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department has made no such assessment. All issues relating to healthcare provision are a matter for the devolved administrations.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimatethey have made of the annual cost to NHS England ofGP appointments and hospital admissions arising from people with asthma and other long-term health conditions who do not take prescription medications because theycannot afford them.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department has made no such estimate. Extensive arrangements are already in place to help people access National Health Service prescriptions. These include a broad range of NHS prescription charge exemptions, for which someone with asthma and other long-term health conditions may qualify.To support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption, cost of the prescription pre-payment certificates were frozen for another year. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week.

Orkambi

baroness morgan of huyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a date has been set for Vertex pharmaceuticals, NICE and NHS England to convene a further meeting to discuss how the cystic fibrosisdrug Orkambi can be made available to patients.

baroness morgan of huyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the lack of availability of Orkambi on patients with cystic fibrosis; and what plans they have to discuss this issue with (1) patients, and (2) other interested parties.

baroness morgan of huyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has to intervene in the ongoing negotiations between Vertex pharmaceuticals, NICE and NHS England on the price of the cystic fibrosis drug Orkambi to ensure that it is made available to patients as soon as possible.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: NHS England and NHS Improvement is leading the negotiations with Vertex and has made a revised and improved offer to Vertex that would provide immediate funding for Orkambi and Symkevi in advance of a positive assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), in addition to expanded access to Kalydeco which is already funded by the National Health Service for certain patients. No date has been agreed for a further meeting as of yet, however negotiations are ongoing between Vertex, NHS England and NHS Improvement and NICE.Cystic fibrosis can have a devastating effect on the lives of those who suffer from it, and those close to them, and the Government wants to see patients access innovative treatments at a cost-effective price for the NHS. The Government fully supports NICE and NHS England in seeking to ensure access for patients to effective and innovative medicines at a price that represents value to the NHS, and it is not for Ministers to intervene in this process. The Department’s approach remains to strongly urge Vertex to accept NHS England and NHS Improvement’s generous offer, but in the absence of a deal, we have asked NHS England and NHS Improvement to continue to explore all options to ensure patients can access treatments as soon as possible.

Department for International Development

Gaza: Recycling

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they intend to provide to Palestinians in Gaza to create the means to recycle materials in order to reduce the amount of waste and increase the viability of industry.

baroness sugg: The UK does not currently intend to provide direct support in this area. We remain committed to alleviating the humanitarian situation in Gaza and our assistance continues to be focused on meeting the basic needs of Gazans. To that end, DFID have recently provided £5m to UNRWA’s Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) emergency appeal which will help UNRWA provide food aid to one million people in Gaza. Through our support to UNRWA’s programme budget, the UK also supports UNRWA’s delivery of core services, including health services and basic education, to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East, and the collection of solid waste. In the medium term, DFID are working to address the underlying causes of humanitarian need in Gaza through an economic development programme which aims to lift the overall standard of living in Gaza and the West Bank by increasing trade and job creation, enabling greater movement and access for people and goods, and enhancing the supply of electricity and clean water, especially in Gaza.

Developing Countries: Health Services

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights in countries receiving Department for International Development Official Development Assistance in relation to (1) contraceptive prevalence, (2) maternal mortality, (3) maternal morbidity, (4) safe and unsafe abortions, (5) female genital mutilation, (6) child marriage, (7) menstrual hygiene, (8) schooling for girls, (9) toilet facilities in refugee camps, and (10) universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

baroness sugg: DFID takes an integrated approach to our programming on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The UK Government is delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals, reflecting them in its programme of work and integrating them into the Single Departmental Plan process. DFID reports annually on its progress on planned activities in meeting these objectives in its annual report and online results pages. For example between April 2018 and March 2019 alone, at least 23.5 million total women and girls were reached with modern methods of family planning through our programmes, preventing 7.3 million unintended pregnancies, 2 million unsafe abortions, saving 8,300 women’s lives and preventing the trauma of 89,900 stillbirths and 52,900 new-born deaths. DFID also ensures our water and sanitation programmes address the rights of women and girls to access safe, private, hygienic and convenient sanitation facilities, including in humanitarian responses. DFID’s project-specific information (including all the annual reviews for our projects in these areas) is available on the Development Tracker website.

Developing Countries: Health Services

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the Department for International Development's total overseas development aid was spent on sexual and reproductive health and rights in (1) 2016–17, (2) 2017–18, and (3) 2018–19.

baroness sugg: Based on internationally agreed methodology, we estimate DFID spent at least 10.3 percent of its overseas development aid on sexual reproductive health and rights in 2016-17. Comparable figures beyond March 2017 are not yet available, estimates for 2017-18 spending will be available in autumn 2019.

Developing Countries: Health Services

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Department for International Development spent directly targeting reproductive health under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee codes (1) 13010, (2) 13021, (3) 13022, (4) 13030, and (5) 13081, in total in the (a) 2016–17, (b) 2017–18, and (c) 2018–19, financial years.

baroness sugg: DFID spent the following directly targeting reproductive health under the OECD Development codes 13010, 13021, 13022, 13030, and 13081:2016/17: £307.2m. This data does not capture spend on our substantial multilateral contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, UNFPA, WHO, Unitaid and UNAIDS.Data for all sector codes and spend are available on the Statistics on International Development website. Comparable figures beyond March 2017 are not yet available, estimates for 2017-18 spending will be available in autumn 2019.

Developing Countries: HIV Infection

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Department for International Development spent directly targeting HIV and AIDS under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee codes (1) 13041, and (2) 13042, in total in the (a) 2016–17, (b) 2017–18, and (c) 2018–19, financial years.

baroness sugg: DFID spent the following directly targeting HIV and AIDS under the two OECD Development codes 13041 and 13042: 2016/17 = £27.1m. This data does not capture spend on related programming that complements our wider work on comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, including research and health systems strengthening. Data for all sector codes and spend are available on the Statistics on International Development website. Comparable figures beyond March 2017 are not yet available, estimates for 2017-18 spending will be available in autumn 2019.

UN Population Fund: Finance

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what contribution they made to (1) the core, and (2) non-core, funding of the UN Population Fund in (a) 2016–17, (b) 2017–18, and (c) 2018–19.

baroness sugg: Details of Her Majesty's Government (HMG) spending on international development is available online on the Statistics on International Development website. Please note that data is published by calendar year and not HMG financial year.The report shows that the UN Population fund received the following funding: 20162017Core£20m£20mNon-Core£87.5m£120.5m 2018 data on non-core funding will be published later this year. Core funding for 2018 remained steady at £20m.

Department for Education

Disabled Students' Allowances

lord low of dalston: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the combining of the Disabled Students’ Allowance budget for specialist equipment and non-medical helpers in relation to postgraduate students, whether they intend to adopt the same approach in relation to undergraduate students.

viscount younger of leckie: The postgraduate Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA) has always been available as a single allowance since its introduction in academic year 2000/2001. The maximum amount of DSAs available to postgraduate students starting their course in September 2019 or after has been increased from £10,993 a year to £20,000 a year. The department has no plans to merge the 4 DSAs currently available to undergraduate students.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Mercosur

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to secure a free trade agreement with the Mercosur trade bloc; and whetherany such agreement would include measures to support sustainable growth.

viscount younger of leckie: We welcome the news of political conclusion between the EU and Mercosur on a Free Trade Agreement. As a global champion of trade, the UK has been a strong advocate for these negotiations. The UK has longstanding positive bilateral relationships with individual Mercosur countries and we look forward to deepening our trading ties as we leave the EU. We will be working with our Mercosur partners to develop our future trade relationship in due course. The EU-Mercosur agreement contains a number of ambitious provisions on promoting sustainable development. As we leave the EU, and in line with our international obligations, the Government will continue to ensure a high level of protection of the environment and employees in new trade agreements.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase growth in the UK housing market after Brexit.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: We are committed to delivering safe, secure and affordable housing to people across the country, and Brexit will not change this. After we leave the EU, as now, we will work closely with industry and all levels of government and take end-to-end action across the housing market to deliver the right homes in the right places and achieve our ambition of delivering 300,000 homes a year by the mid 2020s.We set out our plan for long-term reform to make the housing market work better in our Housing White Paper, and have since built on this with further measures, including planning reforms, lifting Housing Revenue Account borrowing caps, and progressively increasing the Government’s 2016-21 Affordable Homes Programme in England to more than £9 billion, as well as more than doubling the Housing Infrastructure Fund to £5.5 billion to unlock up to 650,000 homes. We’ve committed over £22 billion Help to Buy Equity Loan funding to 2021, and announced at last year’s Autumn Budget a new scheme with £7.2 billion funding to 2023. The measures we have announced will boost the delivery of housing and use funds flexibly to unblock the barriers to more housebuilding.

Department for Work and Pensions

Pension Credit

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that those who are entitled to claim (1) pension credit, and (2) a TV licence from June 2020, but currently do not, take up those benefits.

baroness buscombe: In the 2015 funding settlement, the Government agreed with the BBC that responsibility for the concession would transfer to the BBC. The implementation of the licence fee and the concession from June 2020 is a matter for the BBC and TV Licensing, which are independent of Government. However, we expect the BBC to put in place robust plans to support those who might be affected. The BBC has said it will write to all over 75 TV licence holders advising them of how the new policy will work and when they need to act. Irrespective of this, the Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to and the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential claimants; including information on gov.uk, in leaflets and by telephone. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit. Potential claimants can use the Pension Credit calculator to check if they are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234. One of the best ways to reach eligible claimants is through trusted stakeholder working in the community and we have developed the Pension Credit toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up. The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits. Most recently we have provided to relevant stakeholders a fact sheet about Pension Credit and the changes introduced on 15 May for mixed age couples to ensure that accurate information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek information.

Pension Credit

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they provided to charities that work with older people to support the take-up of Pension Credit in (1) 2015–16,(2) 2016–17, and (3) 2017–18.

baroness buscombe: The Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to. We work with a wide range of stakeholders, including charities to ensure that accurate information about benefits including Pension Credit is available in the places where people are most likely to go to seek information. The DWP knows that one of the best ways to reach eligible claimants is through trusted stakeholder organisations working in the community and that is why we have developed and resourced the Pension Credit on line toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up. The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits. Stakeholders and potential claimants alike can use the online Pension Credit calculator to check if they are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive. Most recently we have provided to relevant stakeholders a fact sheet about Pension Credit and the changes introduced on 15 May for mixed age couples to ensure they are able to communicate the most up-to-date information to potential claimants. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Lions: Hunting

lord selkirk of douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider banning the importation of lion trophies to the UK, following the decision by Australia, France, and the Netherlands to ban such imports.

lord gardiner of kimble: In May 2019 the Government hosted a stakeholder roundtable to hear views from all sides of the debate. We are reviewing existing evidence surrounding trophy hunting and its impact on conservation.

Home Office

Immigrants: Detainees

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of a petition signed by 100,000peopleopposing indefinite immigration detention presented to the Home Secretary in May; and what plans they have to put a time limit on immigration detention.

baroness williams of trafford: The petition was received by the Home Office on 8 May, and its contents have been noted.As Stephen Shaw noted in his follow up review of the welfare of vulnerable people in immigration detention, the debate on a time limit for immigration detention rests mainly on slogans rather than evidence. The Home Secretary commissioned an internal review of how time limits work in other countries and how these relate to any other protections within the detention systems in those countries. This has shown that few other countries adopt very short time limits and that many countries face similar challenges to the United Kingdom when it comes to returning those who have no right to remain but refuse to leave voluntarily.No one is detained indefinitely. Most people detained under immigration powers spend only short periods in detention. In 2018, 92 per cent of those detained were removed or released from detention within four months, and 69 per cent in less than 29 days.We are continuously seeking ways to improve the immigration detention system to ensure that it is fair to those who may be detained, upholds our immigration policies, and acts as a deterrent to those who might seek to frustrate those policies.

Immigrants: Detainees

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the annual cost of immigration detention lasting more than four months in (1) detention centres, and (2) prisons.

baroness williams of trafford: The average cost to detain an individual in immigration detention (including in prison) is provided on a per day basis. The current daily cost per detainee is £88.68, which corresponds to an annual cost of £32,368 (£88.68 multiplied by 365 days). Published data on the cost of detention can be found at the link below:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-enforcement-data-may-2019

Immigration: Children

the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether children applying for settled status are subject to automatic criminal records checks;and whethersuch children are required to declare (1) if they have been convicted of an offence, and (2) thatthey are subject to criminal proceedings.

the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) the suitability requirements, and (2) the threshold of criminality, for the EU Settlement Scheme apply to children; and if so, (a) how, and (b) what type of offences will be taken into account.

baroness williams of trafford: Applicants to the EU Settlement Scheme under the age of 18 are not required to answer questions relating to suitability. Applicants under the age of 10 are not subject to the automated criminal record check.The suitability requirements for the scheme apply to all applicants under the age of 18. However, under the relevant provisions of the Immigration (European Economic Area Regulations) 2016, children under the age of 18 benefit from a higher level of protection and can only be deported on imperative grounds of public security.There is no single definition of the type of offences likely to satisfy this higher threshold, but offences with a cross-border dimension which disclose particularly serious characteristics are more likely to do so.

Cannabis: Misuse

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review policy surrounding the use of cannabis, including the implementation of tougher sentences and penalties for drug use.

baroness williams of trafford: As set out in the Drug Strategy 2017, the government has no plans to decriminalise cannabis. Tough enforcement is a fundamental part of our drug strategy. The possession of any amount of a controlled drug is a criminal offence and the supply of a controlled drug is an even more serious offence. We are taking a smarter approach to restricting the supply of drugs: adapting our approach to reflect changes in criminal activity; using innovative data and technology; and taking coordinated partnership action to tackle drugs alongside other criminal activity.

Riot Control Weapons: Health Hazards

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any long-term health effects of the frequent use of tear gas on civilian populations.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Secretary is determined to give the police the powers and tools they need to cut crime and tackle disorder on our streets. Irritant sprays are thoroughly tested before they can be adopted for use by law enforcement.CS spray has been approved for police use in the UK following robust medical assessment by the Department of Health Committee on Toxicity. The Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) published a standard for irritant sprays based on the NPCC Operational Requirement:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cast-standard-for-police-chemical-irritant-sprays-cs-and-pava

Cabinet Office

Government Departments: Bain and Company

lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many consultancy contracts they have with Bain & Company, broken down by each government department.

lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any government department has used Bain & Company for any consultancy or advisory worksince 2010.

lord young of cookham: In order to enable government departments to quickly secure resource for critical work on preparations and implementation of EU exit at pace, the Cabinet Office have put in place a set of contracts for all government departments to access. This includes a contract with Bain and Co. The contracts have been published on contracts finder and spend under this arrangement is published monthly on GOV.UK titled ‘Central EU Exit Consultancy’.

Government Departments: Bain and Company

lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they have given to the probity and quality of Bain & Company's consultancy work for the South African Revenue Service in regard to any work by that consultancy for government departments.

lord young of cookham: The Government is aware of this situation and is monitoring it. Assessments on the probity and quality of work on individual UK Government contracts are undertaken on a department by department basis.A UK Government department seeking bids for contracts covered by the Public Contracts Regulations would need to follow the rules on exclusions as defined within Regulation 57.

Legislation

lord norton of louth: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many post-legislative reviews by Government departments have been completed and published since 1 January 2018; and in what form they were published.

lord young of cookham: Effective post-legislative scrutiny is fundamental to driving up standards of legislation. The Government is committed to providing Parliament with information to assist in this vital role through the submission of a memorandum to the relevant departmental select committee with a preliminary assessment of how the act has worked in practice within five years of Royal Assent.The Government does not centrally hold information on the post-legislative reviews completed by Departments and published since 1 January 2018; the optimum moment for post legislative memoranda to be submitted is a matter for individual departments in discussion with the relevant departmental select committee. Memoranda are laid before Parliament as command papers and published on gov.uk. It is of course for the relevant committee to decide whether it wishes to conduct further post-legislative scrutiny but the Government would welcome further scrutiny of these memoranda.

Whitehall History Publishing

lord rodgers of quarry bank: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Whitehall History Publishing still exists; if so, (1) what is its role, and (2) how is it managed and by whom; and if not, who is responsible for the publication of material it previously produced.

lord young of cookham: The Whitehall History Publishing, comprised of several historical branches of government departments and led by the Cabinet Office, produces material on historical matters and themes to meet individual departmental requirements. The next publication is due out in autumn 2019.

History: Publications

lord rodgers of quarry bank: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last reviewed the possible resumption of producing official histories.

lord young of cookham: The Government’s official history series is intended to provide authoritative histories in their own right.Two volumes of Criminal Justice history were published earlier this year. The next publication is due out in autumn 2019.

Treasury

Income Tax: Pensioners

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of pensioners paid tax at (1) the 40per cent, and (2) the 45per cent, rate in each of the last three years.

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is (1) the total number, and (2) the percentage, of pensioners who had an annual income above £50,000 in each of the last three years; and whetherthey have a gender breakdown for those data.

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the number and percentage of pensioners with annual incomes above £50,000, broken down by age, in each of the last three years.

lord young of cookham: For this answer pensioners have been defined as those over State Pension Age (SPA). The definition used is consistent with average SPAs from HMRC’s published Income Tax Liabilities Statistics. The average female SPA for the purposes of this are 63.75 years in 2016-17 and 64.5 years in 2017-18 (the male SPA is 65 in both). The average male and female SPA in 2018-19 is 65.25. i)Estimates of the number of pensioners who had tax liabilities at the 40% and 45% rates of income tax: Numbers: thousands 2016-172017-182018-1940%53751450845%343537 i)Estimates of the number of pensioners who had an annual income above £50,000 as:Numbers: thousands 2016-172017-182018-19Male311342361Female107110113Total418451474 ii)Of these pensioners with income above £50,000, the age ranges are:Numbers: thousands 2016-172017-182018-1960-6495 65-6917017117070-7410813114575+131143158 The number of 60-64 year old Pensioners reduces to zero by 2018-19 reflecting the increasing SPA for females over the time period shown. The figures for 2016-17 are based on the latest outturn data from the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI), 2017-18 and 2018-19 are projections based on the 2016-17 SPI, which are projected using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) March 2019 Economic and Fiscal Outlook. For comparison to the total population of pensioners, Office of National Statistics (ONS) estimates of the population of the UK give the number of individuals by age. The number of pensioners in the UK can also be estimated using the average state pension age in each tax year: 12.3 million in 2016-1712.2 million in 2017-1812.0 million in 2018-19

Married People: Tax Allowances

baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people claimed theMarriage Allowance in the 2018–19 financial year; and what stepsthey are taking to increase the uptake of thatallowance.

lord young of cookham: The Marriage Allowance was introduced in April 2015 to recognise the importance of marriage and civil partnerships through the tax system, and support those on low incomes by helping them keep more of the money they earn. There were 1.78m claimants for the Marriage Allowance in 2018-19. The Government has taken significant steps to encourage people to claim for the Marriage Allowance. HM Revenue and Customs ran a series of both free and paid-for marketing campaigns, which ran between October 2015 and March 2017, and continue to raise awareness through ongoing communication on social media and on GOV.UK. Marriage Allowance can be claimed through the Personal Tax Account on GOV.UK or by phone to HMRC. The Marriage Allowance can be backdated to 2015-16 when it was introduced. This means eligible couples can claim a total of £1,150 if not claimed before.

Married People: Tax Allowances

baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Marriage Allowance; andwhat plans they have to review that allowance.

lord young of cookham: The Marriage Allowance was introduced in April 2015 to recognise the importance of marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system, and support those on low incomes by helping them keep more of the money they earn. The Marriage Allowance is effective as it gives extra financial support to those couples eligible for it. In 2018/19, 1.78m couples benefitted from the Marriage Allowance which is worth up to £250 a year. The Marriage Allowance can be backdated to 2015-16 when it was introduced. This means eligible couples can claim a total of £1,150 if not claimed before. As with all aspects of Government policy, the Marriage Allowance will be kept under review and any decisions on future changes will be taken as part of the annual Budget process in the context of the wider public finances.

Freezing of Assets: Libya

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much revenue has been raised fromfrozen Libyan assets in London in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

lord young of cookham: The Government’s response of 24 June to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee report (into Government support for UK victims of IRA attacks that used Qadhafi-supplied Semtex and weapons) set out the information the Government had obtained about tax receipts on frozen Libyan assets held in UK banks. The response states: “Around £17 million has been received in total since the start of the 2016-17 tax year. HMRC currently receives around £5 million each year.”

Facebook: Cryptocurrencies

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of Facebook’s proposed Libra cryptocurrency on the management of monetary and financial stability mechanisms and policies.

lord young of cookham: The Government does not comment on details of the proposed business models of individual companies. However, this proposal raises wider questions for policy and financial regulation. The Government is working with the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority and international counterparts to consider these issues. More broadly, the Government established the Cryptoassets Taskforce – comprised of HM Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Bank of England - to explore the risks and potential benefits of cryptoassets and consider the appropriate response. The Taskforce’s response set out commitments to further consider the regulatory approach to cryptoassets. The Government will consult on its approach to unregulated cryptoassets later this year. The Taskforce’s final report, found that cryptoassets do not currently pose a material threat to UK or global financial stability, however this could change in the future, and the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee will continue to monitor the situation.

H2O Asset Management

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to conduct, or commission, an investigation into the management of investment portfolios by H2O Asset Management with particular reference to (1) the valuation of unlisted investments, and (2) the accuracy and completeness of statements by that firm’s management of the "gating" of future redemptions.

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether H20 Asset Management consulted (1) them, or (2) the Financial Conduct Authority, before that company indicated that it would never "gate" redemptions for its funds; what assessment they have made of the accuracy of that statement; and whether H2OAsset Management has been required to back that statement up with a guarantee or credit line.

lord young of cookham: There is no requirement for asset management firms to discuss their specific investment strategies with either HM Treasury or the FCA. The overarching regulatory framework for UK UCITS funds comprises EU and UK legislation and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. The FCA is responsible for the supervision of UK funds including UCITS, and have a broad suite of supervisory and investigative powers. For example, the FCA is required to approve the investment objective and policy of UK domiciled funds, as well as statements in the prospectus about the application of investment limits, and firms are required to treat customers fairly. In circumstances where a UCITS fund is domiciled outside of the UK, the supervision of its compliance with applicable UCITS investment restrictions is a matter for the home state regulator. If individuals have concerns about their investments, they should speak to their advisor or platform. If individuals have purchased units in a fund directly, they should speak with the relevant firm.